Author Topic: Do you fear death?  (Read 1899 times)

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JaronK

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Do you fear death?
« on: July 26, 2008, 01:35:08 AM »
Inspired by the Drow of the Underdark thread, let's play with a truly fearsome build:

Bard 5/Barbarian 1/Dread Pirate 10/Scarlet Corsair 4.  Really, you could switch that around to Dread Pirate 4/Scarlet Corsair 10 if you wanted... but you do have to be a dishonorable pirate.  However, by making use of the Inspire Awe Bard varient and Imperious Command, you're all kinds of nasty.  Just wear some Fearsome armour (intimidate checks become a move action) and walk into the battlefield.  Also, you'll want Intimidating Rage and Instantaneous Rage, plus Extra Rage.  At the start of the fight, Intimidate everyone within 30' (they must make a save vs your Intimidate check, which is easy to pump up, and you get a +6 from Dread Pirate).  They're now all cowering.  Now, use Inspire Awe... if they fail their save vs your perform check, as long as you maintain your song they remain cowering.  Now walk around with your sneak attack (it's only 3d6, but who cares?) and kill them all while they cower in fear.  If anyone makes their save against the intimidate, fly into a rage at their gall... which, as an immediate action, makes them cower.  Or, you can respond to new enemies on the battlefield by doing this.  You can use the Lion Totem and Whirling Frenzy varients if you want, but it's hardly necessary.

And you're an angry scary pirate, which means you win at all things. 

JaronK

Midnight_v

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Re: Do you fear death?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2008, 03:57:09 AM »
 :D I'm sorry Jaronk, I know I mentioned it in the other thread but . . . "fear"
has really been quite thouroughly researched.

Here's all the relevant information.

Caedrus's terror inducing party.
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=949947

The basis of which was Dictum Mortuums ever informative.
Demoralize optimization
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=911167

It's basically everything you need to build up fear based pcs. Almost all the relavant info.
What else... hmm...
It is an interesting use of:
 "Midnight_v's Reactive Rage"(MRR) LOL  Intimidating rage + Imperious command + instantaneous rage or ferocity variant (which is relavant because it spares the builds a feat),
but you keep forgetting the most important part of that combo... You can rage while flat-footed on someone elses turn as part of initiative, which means everyone cowering people on the first turn.
Well quite frankly a better version of that would include either jotunbrood or dreadful wrath.
  Also you forgot fearsome armor also gives +5 circumstance bonus on intimidate checks so in most cases if you have that you dont' even need the levels of dread pirate for the intimidate bonus beyond +2 really the the acrobatic charge is why I prefer it to scarlet corsair though....hmm...
  I've been trying out builds like this all day really, for Alastar's no spellcasters pbp.
The last thing I was working on putting bloodstorm blade 5 in the mix with a subjegating weapon from heroes of battle, are you familiar with it?
Barbarian1,ftr 3 (zhent sub levels), warblade 1, bloodstormblade 5, Dread P. OR scarlet Corsair 5, Bldstorm6-9
You'll have the MRR trick
a +45 or better bonus on intimidate checks and consitent cowering from either dreadful wrath or a thrown subjegating melee weapon. Which can attack all opponents at range (as a melee attack)
... I suppose I could just use boomerangs too, but the axe or hammer flyng around is so much more thematic I think....

My post from the other thread (can't figure out how to sblock here) :wall
Quote
Both Pirate prc's Dread pirate and scarlet corsair do that in 5 levels.
Samurai in 10 though you get both at the same time, you aren't forced to play through shitty levels of sam.

I know this cause I've been playing around with fear builds all day...

The barbarian gets to do it as an immediate action and even when flatfooted soo... you never lose initiative if the opponent is within 30ft.

Even at that Zhent fighter has access to diplomacy and bluff as well I kinda think its more the substitution fighter than the samurai, I guess it works for them too but... I gues I don't like it because it goes off so late.

I think something like Barbarian1/zhent soilder3/rogue 1/scarlet corsair 5 gets to pull that stunt perday as much as you have rages an extra rage or 2 10 level cowering of all its pretty strong. Give it the basis of charging builds and you're running amok.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2008, 03:59:43 AM by Midnight_v »
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Re: Do you fear death?
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2008, 04:11:35 AM »
Too bad the Dread Witch's Greater Master of Terror (bypass fear immunity - with some limitations) only applies to spells. Perhaps a lenient DM... (It does have a Cha/day touch attack that makes anyone shaken if they fail a Will save)

In any case, it's a good class (it's in HoH) to mention if someone wants more casting (possibly with Sublime Chord). It also grants a +2/level bonus to Intimidate ; a Bard 4 can qualify.
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Midnight_v

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Re: Do you fear death?
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2008, 04:17:43 AM »
Too bad the Dread Witch's Greater Master of Terror (bypass fear immunity - with some limitations) only applies to spells. Perhaps a lenient DM... (It does have a Cha/day touch attack that makes anyone shaken if they fail a Will save)

In any case, it's a good class (it's in HoH) to mention if someone wants more casting (possibly with Sublime Chord). It also grants a +2/level bonus to Intimidate ; a Bard 4 can qualify.
Man I love that PRC! It makes even a blaster work well. 
Speaking of Prcs? Did you see "Vern" Caedrus build from the terro party thread?

Quote

Champion of Gwynharwyf 4 is outlandishly good. Approach me while raging, oppose my check, "Indeed"  :fu
If there weren't so many things immune to fear/mind altering it'd be unfair.
I've been using that as the bench mark for my pbp. Can't quite get it all, but I've got some good ones.
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Re: Do you fear death?
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2008, 05:44:30 AM »
I posted in that thread, in particular to point out that Champion of Gwygwygwy (hate that name) - Exalted-good - and Zhentarim - eeevil - were not really compatible flavor-wise, so yes I'm aware of it. ^^

I've always been a big fan of fear effects. I played a Dreadful Wrath + Haunting Melody bard not that long ago. I didn't get Imperious Command because I didn't want the DM to cry (I was already facing down dragons), nor Inspire Awe because Inspire Courage is just too awesome.
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